Sunday, October 10, 2010

Estate Sailing

A few years ago neighbors invited us to their Christmas Open House. They also invited an auctioneer & his wife. We talked and he stated calling me to work auctions and estate sales. Turns out neither of us were invited back to the neighbors again, but we became friends and a couple times a year I work for him.

This was a wild sale. Upon first look there was a lot of junk.

These cool curtain clips were from the very smelly basement.

I can never pass up vintage coat and skirt hangers!

Because I get to go in before the sale begins I think it would be unethical to grab all the best stuff. Luckily for the people in line, I never see the "best" stuff until someone else has snagged it and I am adding up their slip and taking their money!

Mostly at his sales I chose the quirky things, the things no one here will fight to get; the things my friend running the sale always wonders why I am even purchasing!
Though we all think the green handled thermometer from the 50's is very cool!

I love old tape measures.

The small one on the end is made by Zippo --

my husband thought it very collectable.
The cup hooks were in the jar of curtain clips and I've been meaning to get some at the hardware store.

I put this pink stool out in front of the shop to attract the attention of passing motorists.

Customers always want to buy it.

And I don't want to sell it.

Viola!

A new-old stool I can spray paint pink and offer for sale.

I found these flower frogs.
The round one comes apart.
The square one has a connector sticking out the side.
I thought somehow I had missed the rest of them. . .

Luckily my husband is even better at puzzles than I am.
He saw how they fit together to make this oval.

The journal is blank and would make a great altered book!

The fabric is mine, not from the sale.
I'm trying really hard not to buy any more linens until I get the many I already have cleaned. I'll let you know how that goes (chuckle!).